Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
Federal regulations require all students receiving Title IV Financial Aid to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Title IV Financial Aid Programs include: Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH), Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan, PLUS and GRAD PLUS Loans, and Work-Study.
To meet the SAP requirements for federal aid, students must meet the standards indicated below at the end of each semester. Students must earn a minimum GPA (qualitative measure), successfully complete a minimum percentage of credits (quantitative measure), and must be able to graduate within a maximum timeframe. Courses/Credits which have been granted scholastic amnesty are still reviewed for SAP. Failure to meet any of the SAP requirements will result in a loss of eligibility for federal financial aid.
Qualitative Measure of Progress (GPA Requirement)
The qualitative requirement defines the minimum GPA that must be earned at the end of each semester. An incomplete grade (I-grades) will count in the Pace and Maximum Timeframe Limit, but will not be computed into the GPA until a final grade is assigned. Repeated courses will be included in the GPA calculation, but grade suspended courses will not be included in the GPA calculation. A UNO student must maintain the following cumulative GPA at the end of each semester:
| Minimum Cumulative GPA | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Students 1-29 credits earned | 1.75 or higher |
| Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Students 30 credits or more earned | 2.0 or higher |
| Transfer Students |
2.0 or higher |
| Graduate Students | 3.0 or higher |
Quantitative Measure of Progress (Pace & Maximum Timeframe Limit)
The quantitative requirement contains two components, Pace and Maximum Timeframe. All credit hours/courses attempted at UNO are counted in the attempted/earned calculation, including scholastic amnesty credits, remedial courses, dual credit courses, AP/test credits and courses assigned a W, I, AU, XF, UW, P/S/U, NG, F.
Transfer credit hours/courses attempted at a regionally accredited school will also count in the Pace and Maximum Timeframe. Repeated and grade suspended courses will be counted each time a student attempts the course, however, the course can be counted only once for earned credit towards the degree. UNO students must meet the following Pace and Maximum Timeframe requirements at the end of each semester:
Pace
- All students must successfully complete 67% of the credit hours attempted throughout their academic history regardless of how the courses are attempted or if the student received financial assistance to pay for the class. It is important to note that students may lose credit hours earned transferring between schools or switching majors, which may lower their earned percentage towards a new degree plan. Students should speak to an academic advisor and the financial aid office prior to dropping courses or resigning from all classes.
Maximum Timeframe Limit
- All undergraduate students who have not officially graduated with their first baccalaureate degree must be able to complete their primary degree at UNO within 180 attempted hours regardless of the number of majors.
- Post baccalaureate students must be able to complete their second degree within 225 attempted hours, which will include all courses/credits pursued as an undergraduate student.
- UNO does not offer aid for a third or additional degrees.
- Graduate students’ maximum timeframe limit is based on individual program of study. Students may click here find out their maximum timeframe for federal aid based on their program.
Evaluation and Notification of Eligibility
A student’s SAP status will be reviewed after grades are posted at the end of each semester. If a grade change or incomplete grade is updated after grades are posted, the student must contact his or her financial aid counselor for a manual SAP review. Students failing to meet the SAP requirements the first time will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester, and they will be notified via their UNO e-mail account. Students failing to meet the standards for the next semester will then be placed on financial aid suspension and financial aid eligibility will be suspended until (s)he meets all SAP requirements. Federal regulations do not allow students who cannot graduate within the maximum timeframe limit to receive a warning period.
Financial Aid Warning
A financial aid warning period of one semester will be assigned to students who fail to make satisfactory academic prog¬ress. Students will remain eligible for financial aid during the warning period, which cannot be extended should the student resign from the semester after the semester begins. Those who fail to meet the requirements at the end of the warning period will be placed on financial aid suspension the following semester. Students who are scholastically dropped from the University or who cannot graduate within the maximum timeframe limits will not qualify for the warning period. Please review information in the SAP Appeal Process section.
Financial Aid Suspension
Students who do not qualify for warning or who fail to meet the SAP requirements at the end of their warning period will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on financial aid suspension are NOT eligible to receive federal financial aid until they meet all SAP requirements or are granted an appeal approval.
Regaining Eligibility
Students may regain financial aid eligibility by meeting all of the SAP requirements or through an approved SAP Appeal. Sitting out for a period of time, Scholastic Amnesty, or paying for classes without financial aid will not reestablish SAP eligibility. If the student does not appeal or an appeal is not approved, the student must then plan to pay for each period of enrollment until the minimum GPA and Pace requirements are met. Students who cannot graduate within the maximum timeframe or have exceeded the limit will not be able to regain their eligibility on their own academic merit, but may submit an appeal.
SAP Appeal Process
If a student encounters an unexpected circumstance that impacts his/her academic performance within a semester(s) or prolongs his/her academic career, (s)he may submit an appeal for the fall or spring term. Circumstances include unexpected medical illness, military deployment, COVID pandemic hardships, natural disaster, and other life altering events beyond the student’s control. The appeal must be submitted with accompanying supporting documentation, by the published deadline date. Students are limited to two SAP Appeals during their academic history at UNO. Please refer to the appeal instructions for additional guidance. Financial aid appeal decisions are final.
Financial Aid Probation
If an appeal is approved for one semester, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and will be eligible to receive his/her federal aid for one semester. The student will have to meet all SAP requirements at the end of the probation period in order to continue to receive federal aid. If the student does not meet all of the SAP requirements at the end of the probationary period, the student’s financial aid eligibility will be suspended until (s)he meets the SAP requirements, if possible.
Academic Planning
If an appeal is approved on a continuous basis, the student will be able to receive his/her eligible federal aid as long as (s)he meets the conditions of his/her approved appeal and follows his/her academic plan until the end date of the appeal. If a student switches his/her major while on a continuous appeal, (s)he will have to submit a statement from his or her academic advisor indicating how many credit hours are remaining for their degree completion. Approval for the change in Academic Plan is not guaranteed and will be based on number of additional credit hours to complete the new degree. All approved continuous appeals require SAP Counseling with the financial aid office and academic advisement throughout the student’s academic career while on the SAP Appeal. If the student fails to meet their appeal conditions, their eligibility for financial aid will be immediately suspended.